Chapter 14 #2
They were both so beautiful, though they looked different.
Isabella with all curves and shorter hair, while Sophia had that long willowy look of a former ballerina.
Considering she had been a principal dancer for the Denver Ballet, I was always in awe of her grace.
She still had that same aura, even after birthing twins, but I knew she ran herself ragged with the kids, her husband, and the studio.
I barely slept these days, and I had no idea where she found the time to do so.
“It’s so good to see you. Sorry for dropping in on you like this.
But the nanny kicked me out of Isabella’s house, so she could watch the babies, and I could have a girls’ day.
Although getting Isabella to not work on her actual day off was like pulling teeth.
But we’re on our way to your spa to get our nails done. ”
“The Cage family Resort Spa is quite wonderful. And both girls on staff today are our two best. Not that we would ever hire anyone not the best.” I winked at Isabella, who just laughed.
“I’ve been here before, and you know I love it. It’s still so weird that I’m part of the family that owns this, but I’m figuring it out.”
“Don’t remind me, I’m still not used to it either,” Sophia put in. “And I don’t even live in town.”
“It is still so good to see you both.”
“And I know we’re taking up all of your time. And you have to be busy, I know you have a full house,” Sophia added.
“And we’re just here to hug you because we love you, and don’t want to get in your way. Although we will want details about you dating our brother soon, but I’m not going to mention that out in public. Oops, already did.”
I froze, blinking quickly. “Oh. Right. That.”
“We’ve given you plenty of time as just the two of you, without encroaching, but you do realize you have to come to the next Cage family dinner,” Sophia put in solemnly.
“What? Oh. But he didn’t invite me.”
“Of course Hudson won’t invite you,” Isabella said with a roll of her eyes.
It felt as if someone had kicked me in the chest, and I tried to keep my smile on my face. “Oh. I mean I’m not surprised. We’re just not there yet.”
The blood drained from Isabella’s face, and she held up both hands.
“I meant, he would just assume you’re going.
Because that’s the Hudson that we’ve gotten to know over the past few years.
I honestly think he’s a little surprised that we’ve given him this much space.
But this is the final Cage dinner, and the entire family’s going to be there. And you’re coming too. Sorry.”
My mind whirled, trying to catch up. “Final? You guys aren’t having dinner together again?”
“She means this is the final one proposed by the will. At least for this segment. For all we know there’s a whole other segment coming because that’s the type of games Dad liked to play. However, this is the final one of the three-year mark. I still can’t believe Dad’s been gone for three years.”
Isabella reached out and squeezed Sophia’s hand, and I swallowed hard, trying to catch my breath, and wondered why they thought Hudson would want me there.
“You’re coming. And this way you can get all of the ‘what’s it like dating our recluse brother’ questions out of the way.”
“I don’t know if we’re dating or not. We’re just,” I blew out a breath and pinched the bridge of my nose, “I have no idea what we are because we purposely don’t talk about things like that. But we’re doing fine. I don’t really want to, you know, hurt things.”
“You won’t. I promise.” Sophia smiled brightly. “We want to hear all about it. You look so happy, if not stressed out that we’re here, but that’s neither here nor there.”
I just let out a laugh and stared at the two women who had become so close to me, and yet I felt like a chasm separated us in this moment.
It had nothing to do with them though, and all to do with the fact that I was falling in love with their brother and couldn’t tell anyone. Because everybody that I would tell was somehow connected to him. I could talk to Ivy and Luna. Yes, I would go to that group chat.
But how was I supposed to put that into a group chat? In a text. No. It had to be in person. But neither one of them were here. What the hell was I doing?
“And you’re spiraling.” Isabella nodded while Sophia didn’t let go of my other hand. “We love you. You’re coming to dinner because you’re our friend. We love you. You’re doing an amazing job with the resort. So stop stressing.”
“I thought you said you were my friend.”
Both women gave me an odd look.
“Stress is how I breathe. I don’t know how to do anything other than that.”
Sophia just smiled as Isabella rolled her eyes.
“We love you. Seriously. You’re doing amazing. This place has never run as efficiently as it has since you’ve become manager. And I’m a forensic accountant. I should know. Now, we get to do the personal things. And you can’t get out of it.”
Before I could say anything, the girls’ phones buzzed, and they were called off to go get their manicures. I tried to look as if I wasn’t having a panic attack, as I waved them off and told myself that I could do this.
Everything was just fun.
My phone buzzed then and I looked down at it as I walked to my office, knowing I had to get a few things done before I came back out.
Hudson
I have family dinner tomorrow. Want to come?
I froze where I stood right by my desk and swallowed hard.
Tears pricked my eyes, and I licked my lips. He’d asked.
He’d asked.
I let out a shaky breath, ready to reply.
Someone tugged my ponytail, and my phone dropped to the floor, as a scream was nearly ripped from my mouth.
But then a large hand covered my mouth, and I kicked out.
“Shut up. Just shut up.”
I froze, knowing that voice.
The same voice that had echoed throughout my nightmares since I had been a little girl. The same voice that had broken my mother.
“That’s a good girl,” he whispered.
The fact that it was the same words that Hudson had used made me want to throw up.
“Now. You’re going to be the girl that I raised, and do as I say.”
I had dropped my phone, and with the door closed behind him, nobody would truly be able to hear me if I screamed. That’s when I realized something sharp pressed against my lower back, and tears threatened.
He was going to kill me. I didn’t know what he wanted, but he had something sharp against my back, and this man was going to kill me.
“Now, I know you have a safe in here, or a way to get cash. You’re going to get me that.
And then I’ll leave. I’ll leave your mom and your sister and everyone else alone.
But you’re here with these little Cages now.
You’ve got access to money. I want my due.
I’m the one that raised you and now you owe me. ”
Bile rose up my throat as his words played in my head. He hadn’t raised me. He’d done nothing but beat my mother and threaten Luna and me my entire life. His demented worldview made him think that he was owed just for us surviving childhood.
And I hated him.
“Now I’m going to lower my hand, and you’re not going to scream. You can feel this knife, can’t you? You’ve always been my smart girl. Just remember that. I’ll do what I have to. Don’t make me angry.”
He was a narcissistic selfish asshole, and I wasn’t going to let him break me. And yet everything hurt. My heart, my head.
Every ounce of the soul and strength that remained within me.
“We don’t have cash here. That’s not how the resort works.”
“Don’t fucking lie to me. I know you’re fucking that Cage, who has money from being a bitchy artist or something. Pansy.”
“I don’t have his money here either.” He pulled on my hair, and I held back a scream as the knife dug in slightly. A sharp sensation slammed into me, and warmth spread on my side.
“Fuck. You’re fine. I only broke the skin. You’re fine.”
My lips trembled. He was really going to kill me. He didn’t care about me at all and was truly going to kill me if I didn’t do what he wanted.
“Now, tell me where the money is.”
“It’s not in here but I can get it.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
I risked everything and began to turn. His hand let go of my hair, and I let out a breath, grateful that he let me face him.
His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked a decade older than he was.
While my mom had aged thanks to the terror that he had put her through, drugs and alcohol had taken everything else from my father.
And yet he had looked so charismatic even weeks before.
He had fallen into something hard since, and I wanted to feel bad about it.
But all I wanted him to do was to vanish from my life.
“Okay. It’s in the room next door, where our financial officer is.”
All lies, and I had to hope my father couldn’t see through them.
He narrowed his gaze, and terror slid through my veins.
“I’ll be right behind you.”
I nodded, wondering what the hell I was going to do now. I took a step past him, aware that the knife was close, and hoping to hell that the cut on my side wasn’t too deep. Then he was behind me, the knife right against where he’d already cut me, and I moved a little quicker, trying to get away.
I went to open the door, and he tugged on my ponytail.
“Don’t fucking lie to me.”
Without thinking, I slammed my head back into his face, the crunch of bone satisfying if not terrifying. The knife slid through my side deeper this time, and I called out, a scream ripping from my throat.
“You bitch!”
I whirled, punching out like Hudson had taught me, slamming my fist into his jaw.
He staggered back, swiping out with the knife.
I moved out of the way, barely avoiding being grazed by the blade, as I turned again and reached for the door.
He pulled at my ponytail, blood spraying from his hand as he whirled it in the air, and I threw open the door, hitting him in the face again.